SRSeedBurners Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Some folks don't feed the cats thinking they will catch rodents if hungry but in my experience a well fed cat is more likely to work at rodent removal and line up her/his kills with pride. At the Lowes where I live they have a resident cat that stays in the outdoor garden area and also stays inside on that end of the building. I was there yesterday (with the GreycieMae in tow of course) and one of the workers there was telling me that when they would close down some evenings you could see the rats running across the floor occasionally. Apparently that all ended when the cat showed up. He's been there 8 months and is now the Lowes shop cat. I think that's so cool. I was talking to one of the workers there about the cat. We got off onto the subject of my personal rat problem in my barn and he said to get a cat and don't feed it. I didn't buy that advice but I do want one now. They don't eat much and he'd be taken care of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 And my grand kids think I'm nuts because I allowed a young super thin kitty to stay with her five babies! You all have me beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Alrighty then, we are taking in another grey. This one has brittle bone disease with a severely deformed foot. Any one able to help with ideas on how to care for this guy? He is 6 years old and right now lives in a hamster cage so if he falls, it isn't too far so he may not get hurt. He can not perch but can climb. I googled "how to care for..." but get nothing but info on the disease itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Kane's nursery should set up nicely, don't you think? And as far as medical support, Texas A&M is one of the top (10 ?) vet schools in the country. I wouldn't be surprised if they'd be a good resource. If not, we have Tuft's. They would be my next suggestion, but only because if TXAM is closer. Otherwise, they've been awesome w/me & anyone I've ever heard say they'd dealt w/them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 That would have been perfect but... It went to the curb when we moved. I never thought I would ever need it again since taking in babies and elders is so rare. Pat doesn't want him in a hamster cage, he wants him to feel like a normal bird in a real cage and wants to modify it like we did Cocaba's outside cage. I am just not sure how that would work, he will need bedding at the bottom and it would be a grate, not solid so how would it work? I have one day to figure this out. :-( I still have to move Gilly into a bigger cage, thinking of putting the hawk head into Gabbys cage and then Gabby would get Gillys smaller cage and Frito (new guy) will take the hawk heads (I can say her name, just not spell it, lol) All while building the deck out back for the flights. Wow, glad I had that week off so everything could pile up on the weekend. Yikes!!! I will contact A&M Monday. Frito came from the same home where Gilly and Tamale came from. Seems like I will soon have a Mexican food take over!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 (edited) lol mexican food Okay... deep breaths. He's been in a hamster cage for however long . He's used to it. It's probably a much, much better [read safer] choice for him to stay in it during his transition & adjustment. Your house is a lot to take, in case you've forgotten. He's a Grey, remember? And the last thing you want is him spooked or suddenly given a large area to navigate. I had to transition Kura thru 4 cages until I got her able to live safely in an Eclectus size cage. So, maybe take a step back & really let everyone help w/some options. Like, for instance, Timber has the same basic support needs. The King's carrier seems to be working so far. That could be at least one possibility, maybe. Pat's pretty handy. Could he build you another set up like the nursery but customized for a very fragile Grey? Edited August 12, 2017 by birdhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 13, 2017 Author Share Posted August 13, 2017 He isn't coming with his cage so we have to start fresh no matter what we end up with. :-( We took yesterday off brain wise so came up with nothing. I may just end up going to Tractor Supply and getting a wire dog crate for him. It has the larger bar spacing and provides room for him to roam a bit, also a washable solid bottom. I am also thinking maybe a wooden box of sorts for him to have as a platform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 The King's stainless travel cage is working great. The little $30 travel cage worked well initially and would probably be close to the same size as the hamster cage. Having to use towels in the bottom to soften his landing if he falls generates a lot of laundry, but also a lot of peace of mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 (edited) The paint on dog cages hasn't got a reason to be bird safe. No way to know about heavy metals & VOCs. Based on what I saw w/Kura, I'm thinking a fish tank might be a better starter home. She fell down. She fell down a scary lot. I would have gone absolutely insane the first day if there was any chance she was going to shatter. As it was, it took 2 days for me to face the fact that my good intentions weren't so good. She just could not handle it. Maybe a 20 gal w/feeding stands &/or ladders & shavings. Once he's used to all the commotion & change & after you' see how well he gets around, then figure out what next...? Karen, have you tried stuffing pillow protectors. Some are dense fabric. But some are more like waterproof mattress protectors. The more rubberized type would limit where the crap goes & wipe off more easily. I'd say stuff them w/cloth or shavings unless you were sure Timber wasn't going to pick them apart. Then you could even use a pillow. Edited August 13, 2017 by birdhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 True, I didn't think about the paint on the crates. I will look into the Kings travel carriers, thanks! She didn't get to come by yesterday, she is going to try for this afternoon but it has been raining here 2 days straight and my driveway is a mud hole. Last 2 rains prior I got my car stuck in it and had to wake Pat up to get me out, lol. Did I mention our newest wild visitor? A boar... Yup a tusk poking, snout wearing, yard damaging pig! It was huge, guessing between 300-400lbs. It has been a few days since we have seen him again but the deer are not back either so he is around somewhere. YUCK!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Birdhouse, the large, thick bath towels I have been using cover the bottom of the cage perfectly, size-wise. He does chew on the towels, so I suspect he'd chew anything else I tried. He hasn't fallen often, and the towel seems to provide adequate cushioning when he does. Since I'm retired, the extra laundry isn't a real problem. Murfchck, ha to the boar! If you lived in my area, you'd have plenty of people anxious to have a bbq... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Perhaps a sugar glider cage as they have ramps already in place. My friend Anna had some footless Greys she worked with and the ramps wrapped in vet wrap even worked for them. If you could find a used small crib mattress that would break a fall and be easily cleaned you could use paper on top of it to avoid some cleaning. Cotton or manila roping could add an easily grabbed support in climbing areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 So... I wrote this Monday and never hit the post button, doh! Frito moved in last night. She is in the travel carrier for now. Her feet are very badly deformed so any moving around is very hard for her. I was told she is a hands off bird #1 because she is pretty mean #2 because of her condition. So she does hate me, just like all the other female greys in this house, I did not expect anything less. She tolerates Pat. He got her out and had her against his chest giving her scritches. Sweet and sad, how long has this baby not had love like that? I know her condition makes being held hard but how can you not long to show your love? The ferret penthouse II is what I am looking at as far as a cage. It does have ramps and platforms. Going to look today and see if it is in stock or if I have to order it. If we do get the boar, the neighbors have already laid claim. They said no matter what the time is, call and they will be there. lol As of today, the ferret cage wouldn't work, the bars are to close and she needs to use them to get around. What we ended up doing was moving Gilly into his bigger cage, Gabby into Gillys old cage and Frito into Gabbys cage. I packed the bottom with anything soft I could find until it made the bottom close to the food bowls then picked up 2 memory foam bath mats and covered it with paper. And just to keep with the Mexican food theme, one of the mats say "You had me at Taco!" Added a ramp ladder if she needed it to get to the food and water but she really shouldn't need it. I have wood platforms in there as resting spots as well. When we made the switch from the carrier to the cage, she jumped out and tried to fly. Crashed to the floor of course but she seemed okay, who knows... I don't know how brittle bone works but I would have thought that something like that would have broken her keel. (maybe a foot drop to a carpet floor) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 I sure hope she's OK. It's so frustrating with a bird with issues, because they don't tell you when they hurt or are uncomfortable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 (edited) ^^^ Especially when they're a Grey, newly dumped into a strange household. A small but healthy dose of paranoia may be a good thing for the moment. Did you talk to TX A&M &/or your vet? I did a very little bit of research out of curiosity. Fascinating, if it's your kind of thing (I confess; I am a geek). I got the impression that in some birds it's nutrition driven vs a permanent thing...? "Metabolic bone disease (MBD), while prevalent, is not commonly reported in the pet parrot literature. MBD is broadly defined as a diseases of the bone due to many causes- rather vague! African greys have certainly received most of the attention (especially from the European community)." Development of Metabolic Bone Disease in Birds www.avianstudios.com/metabolic-bone-disease/development-of-metabolic-bone-disease-in-birds/ "Treating Metabolic Bone Disease" "1 Treat bone fractures. MBD can result in weakened or broken bones. Tell your vet if your bird fell off their perch or has been showing evidence of a fracture. After an x-ray confirms a fracture, your vet will give your bird a splint. Follow your vet's instructions about changing the bandages, cleaning the wound (if necessary), and providing pain relief.[8] 2 Provide high-calcium foods and calcium supplements. Your vet will start your bird on a regimen of 100 mg/kg of calcium gluconate. Follow your vet's instructions regarding continued supplementation. When your bird comes home, feed them foods like broccoli, kale, turnip greens, and collard greens.[9] 3 Supplement Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 helps birds' bodies absorb calcium much better than Vitamin D2. African Greys don't absorb Vitamin D very well from food sources. Therefore, your vet will likely prescribe liquid vitamins like Avitron or powdered supplements like Superpreen, which are easier to absorb. Follow your vet's dosage instructions.[10] Too much Vitamin D3 can cause too much calcium to build up in vital organs like the kidneys. Stick to the dosage your vet prescribes.[11] 4 Provide ultraviolet light. UV light helps African Greys produce their own Vitamin D. Whenever possible, place your bird's cage in natural sunlight. This can be in an open window or outdoors away from possible predators. When natural sunlight isn't possible, shine an ultraviolet bulb into the cage. You can buy it at your local pet store.[12] 5 Cut back on high-fat foods. Too much fat binds calcium in your bird's digestive tract and prevents it from being absorbed into the body. Cut back on Brazil nuts and sunflower seeds, making them only an occasional treat. Eliminate commercial seed mixtures, which lack essential nutrients.[13] 6 Supplement magnesium, if necessary. Your vet might prescribe magnesium if your bird is having seizures. Magnesium might also help raise calcium levels in your bird's blood plasma. Follow their instructions in terms of the dosage and how long you'll need to supplement.[14] 7 Expect different age-related results. Adult birds who developed MBD after birth respond to treatment better than juvenile birds who were born with the condition. Don't be disappointed if a bird born with MBD develops stunted legs or wings even with proper nutrition. The key thing is to get your bird diagnosed and begin treatment immediately to prevent further damage from developing.[15]" 8↑ http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds'>http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds'>http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds'>http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds'>http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds'>http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds 9↑ https://journals.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/2359 10↑ https://journals.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/2359'>https://journals.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/2359'>https://journals.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/2359 11↑ http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds 12↑ http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds 13↑ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/african-grey-feeding'>https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/african-grey-feeding 14↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22645835'>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22645835 15↑ http://www.hbf-uk.co.uk/home/assets/documents/AvoidingMalnutritionlowres.pdf'>http://www.hbf-uk.co.uk/home/assets/documents/AvoidingMalnutritionlowres.pdf http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Nutritional-Deficiencies-in-African-Grey-Parrots ***IDK WHY THOSE LINKS ARE MESSED UP. BUT HERE'S THE LIST, IN CASE ANY OF THEM ARE HELPFUL. ↑ http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds ↑ https://journals.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/2359 ↑ https://journals.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/2359 ↑ http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds ↑ http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/nutritional-diseases-of-pet-birds ↑ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/african-grey-feeding ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22645835 ↑ http://www.hbf-uk.co.uk/home/assets/documents/AvoidingMalnutritionlowres.pdf Edited August 17, 2017 by birdhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 Thank you for the information. I'm one of those who goes on line to find what I can, also. Taking care of special needs fids is a real challenge. My love to all of you . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 While I was at work yesterday, Pat worked on the cage some more and got it just right for her. She was all around it! When I was feeding them their dinner, I got to her cage and she told me "It's okay". I broke into tears. Pat asked we wait to go to the vet, she has moved so much this last week he just wants her to de-stress a bit. I get that so we are going to wait a few weeks. Today we will be working on the fence so the dogs feet will touch grass again, lol. Fingers crossed, we have never done a wire fence before. Oh and while Pat was getting some wood from under the house for Frito's cage, he opened the access door and right there was a good 3' of snake skin. Yeah. hahaha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 So much for country living! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 I promise I will be posting pictures soon. I got a new phone and they don't update like my old one. I can not figure it out! :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted August 24, 2017 Author Share Posted August 24, 2017 So little girl Frito (or Freda as we call her) is so darn cute. She just loves me which is strange to me. I have seen all the girls with Pat act this way but never with me. Bongo likes (or liked) to love on my fingers and feed them but Freda loves me! I can hold her and give her scritches and kisses all day. I am not to sure if brittle bone is an accurate diagnosis for her. She falls a lot and so far nothing. She tries so hard to step up for me but both her lil feet are damaged so that is a whole lotta work for her. Now when I see her lifting her bad foot I know she wants up and I slip my hand, palm up, under it and near the bars. She grabs the bars and rests her weight on my hand and wiggles until both her feet are secure on my hand then will let go for me to bring her to my chest. Took many tries for us to get a working step up she felt safe with, lol. The dogs... they are really trying to kill me. Jake keeps breaking out of his kennel, Gabby is in heat and less than 5lbs, Jake is almost 75 lbs. He gets out of the kennel, bounces off the bedroom door until it opens and spends the day unsupervised. Athena, his real girlfriend, is depressed that Jake is ignoring her so she is pooping all over the house. One of the two big dogs have dug 2 holes in the mattress now which also means through the bedspread and the sheets. I am on the 4th bedspread and do not own sheets without holes or rips. This fence, which is 3/4 done now, needs to get done soon so they can get outside and expel some pent up energy!!! We were planning on finishing Friday but now Pat will be working and rain is also in the forecast for the next 4 days. :-( As far as the deck for the flights, it is coming along also, 5 boards at a time, lol. 5 boards = $50.00 so we are picking up as we can. Being 20x35 and done with metal posts and 2x6x10 for supports and decking, we are well over $1000.00 for what we have done so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 ") Freda - I like that. Another reason to get her little tail to vet visit. I honestly think most of the information that comes w/a rescue is wrong. So in self defense, I started treating them all like I found them on the side of the road somewhere. Sympathy about the dog in heat. That's just a whole type of insanity on it's own & they can't help it. Good luck w/that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 It seems dogs are more trouble than birds. You have my sympathy for sure. Frito/freda sounds so sweet it is good to hear she responds kindly to you. This article helped me with Grey vitamin understanding it may help you as well. http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/seizures.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted September 1, 2017 Author Share Posted September 1, 2017 It is so official, Frito-ta has chosen me! Pat tried to clean her cage yesterday and she wanted nothing to do with it. I walked in and she stepped to her perch so I could change the papers, then puked for me, lol. My birds love me but I have never experienced grey love until she came into my life. How totally different this is! I have managed to cry every night at bedtime when we have our nite-nite bedtime snuggles and she tell me "it is all right, your okay"! The dogs... namely Athena... We finished the fence at 5:22 Sunday evening, they went out and ran until they couldn't anymore. After work on Monday, we let them out there and all was good until little bunny foo foo came hopping through the forest. All bets off, Athena cleared the fence without even a hair touching it. Bunny was safe because half way back, she spotted the goats and changed direction after them... I am beginning to get that "I love you because if have to" feeling. She is on my very last nerve! This has now, yet again, delayed the flights for the birds. Jake, he has managed to make 3 holes in our tempurpetic (ms?) mattress. Which means the mattress protector and the sheets and the bedspreads. Tuesday, he ate the corner off my pillow, also tempurpetic. Funny how the birds can eat every wall and piece of trim including chairs and tables and it is cute, but a dog eats my bed and pillows and I get furious. :-/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 I have to agree Grey love is the best. They get super cuddly in the evenings if they are the cuddly type. All this time your hubby has been soaking up all the Grey love and leaving you with nothing. You should smack him I always look forward to our evening cuddlefest. Greycie will generally rub the back of her head on my cheek. Soo so sweet. She also likes to lay in my hand and we'll both 'preen' her underfloofies under her wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 A slave needs her rest in order to serve the feathered overlords properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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